DIVERSE CURRENTS #2: BEYOND THE DC UNIVERSE

[Mitch Brown]

By Mitch Brown, ComiX-Fan DC Correspondent

While DC Comics is best known for its decades-old universe of superheroes - home to Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and of course, Batman and Superman – DC’s publishing division is also home to a number of successful sub-imprints such as Wildstorm, Vertigo and Johnny DC, as well as serving as the North American distributor for overseas publishers Rebellion and Humanoids, as well as the long-running satire magazine MAD.

Now that we have explored both the history and taken a look over the current happenings in DC’s flagship line, this edition of Diverse Currents will explore the expansive and multifarious worlds laying outside of the DCU, tapping into the product lines offered by CMX, Humanoids, Johnny DC and Rebellion, along with DC’s other major licenses – MAD Magazine, the Eisner Archives, and Elfquest.

Two of DC’s imprints – Vertigo and Wildstorm – are so rich in scope that they will be receiving their own spotlights in Diverse Currents #3 and #4. Right now, let’s take our first steps outside the walls of the DCU as we go “Beyond The Universe.”

---

CMX



Over the past ten years, Japanese comics and animation - commonly known as manga (“irresponsible pictures”) and anime respectively - have become a thriving industry in the West, with manga nudging out American comic collections in the bookstore market by a significant margin. Drawn by the mainstream success of anime properties as diverse as Dragonball, Cowboy Bebop, Spirited Away, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Chobits, children and adults alike have been turning to the digest-sized manga collections from companies such as Tokyopop and Viz for their sequential art fix. An entire culture has sprung up around the popularity of translated manga and anime, with many current manga fans having never picked up or even considered a traditional Western comic book – particularly in the elusive female market. Publishers Weekly has estimated manga sales in the U.S. bookstore market to account for over $100 million in revenue.

This trend has caused some interesting rifts to develop within the Western comic book community. While many readers have embraced the diversity and uniqueness of manga content, many American, European and Australian comic book buyers have shied away from the manga shelves, some going so far as to denounce the idea of manga outright. Often this is due to a misunderstanding by readers who associate children-target tiles such as Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! with manga as a whole, when in truth manga is no more all about Pokemon than Western comics are all about superheroes. Others see the proliferation of manga as a threat to the traditional American comic book publishers, especially as manga sections of direct market outlets continue to grow and consume more and more shelf space.

Marvel has recently been experimenting with producing a number of manga-influenced titles, such as the defunct Tsunami line, as well as a noticeable artistic shift occurring on several titles towards a manga influence, in an attempt to draw manga readers “back” to their product, DC has taken a somewhat different approach. Rather than focusing on recruiting Japanese talent or introducing more manga-inspired titles into its traditional DCU line, DC Comics instead made the bold move of creating its own manga imprint – CMX.

CMX was launched in the second half of 2004, shipping its first titles in October the same year. CMX produces collections of manga such as Gals, Akuma de Soro and Madara, all of which have never before been translated for the English-speaking market, publishing a wide range of genres from horror and fantasy to sci-fi and romance. Rather than approach such a line half-heartedly, DC have gone all-out in terms of production value and quality control – hiring some of the genre’s most respected and accurate translation teams and reproducing the material in as close a format to the original as possible in the traditional 5 x 7 3/8 ", black and white manga format.

Under the guidance of Group Editor Jake Tarbox CMX’s attention to detail and high production values have attracted a number of manga licenses previously never considered for release in the English market, bringing the critically-acclaimed and intensely popular From Eroica With Love by writer/artist Aoike Yasuko to an English-speaking market for the first time. Tarbox is a fourteen year veteran of the Japanese manga industry having worked for publisher Coamix Inc’s Raijin Comics in both its domestic Japanese and in Gutsoon! Entertainment’s English incarnation.

What is particularly interesting about DC’s move into the manga market is its potential for reader cross-pollination. While CMX’s content stands on its own, the introduction of an all-manga imprint to such a large publisher as DC, certainly can’t do any harm in drawing manga readers to DC’s other serials and collections and vice versa, especially taking into consideration the fact that many direct market stores order their shelves by publisher. Placement of CMX titles like Tenjo Tange as a bridge between say, Tokyopop’s manga collections and DC’s Vertigo line makes for a solid retail strategy for drawing new readers to both streams. The benefits of “DC” brand recognition alone can only be positive for both “sides” of the comic book market.

---

HUMANOIDS



While for many years American comics have often been seen as a “low” form of art or passed over as kiddie fair by outsiders to the medium, sequential storytelling has been an important and perennially respected element of the European literature and art worlds. Outside of well-known properties such as the English anthology 2000A.D.; Belgium’s Tin Tin; the long-running French series Asterix; and selected reprints of the work of star artist Moebius, European comics had, until recently, made little impact on the American comic book consumer radar.

While it has only been in the past few years that we have seen big name authors and film-makers make the jump into comic books in America, many European comics are written and produced by acclaimed directors and novelists such as Alexandro Jodorowsky (writer/director of the films El Topo and Santa Sangre) and artist Enki Bilal (writer/director of Immortal). Like manga in Japan, European comic books have very broad reader demographics encompassing children, teens and adults of both sexes, and unlike the American comic industry, conform to no singular, dominant genre. Such a wide reader base allows European comics a greater diversity of content that, coupled with the high literary and art standards of their creators, allows for more mature, challenging and layered non-superhero narratives not often seen outside of specialist publishers and imprints like Vertigo and Oni Press. Humanoids titles are truly unique pieces of art, filled with ground-breaking ideas with an unmatched visual appeal.

One of the most prolific and respected European comic publishers is Humanoids Publishing. Humanoids began as Les Humanoides Associes in 1974, publishing the anthology series Metal Hurlant – the inspiration for the well-known American sci-fi/fantasy magazine Heavy Metal. After its purchase by Fabrice Giger in 1988, Humanoids went on to become the premier publisher of original and collected speculative fiction in Europe, built upon a foundation of exquisite production values and artwork and an impressive stable of creators, including the three superstars mentioned above. Humanoids titles such as Jodorowsky’s Metabarons and Fabien Nury and Astonishing X-Men artist John Cassady’s I Am Legion, have won the praise of critics and readers across Europe and beyond, and influencing many well-known creators working in the American comic market such as Iron Man scribe Warren Ellis, creator of The Authority and Transmetropolitan.

While Humanoids have been distributing English-language versions of their books to the American market for the last few years, primarily in oversized, hardcover albums, the company entered into a distribution agreement with DC in January of last year, nominating DC Comics as the official English language publisher for its extensive catalog. The deal forms part of DC’s continued push into the bookstore market, adding a total of 36 trade paperbacks per year to its already expansive back catalog. The agreement encompasses both Humanoid’s back list and also its current running and upcoming products such as the previously mentioned I Am Legion.

One of the greatest benefits of this alliance is the potential for DC to push Humanoids’ content out to a greater audience. The high visibility of DC Comics has seen Humanoids sales steadily climb as more and more North American, Australian and English readers jump onboard the Humanoids wave, which can only be a positive for both company’s, and more importantly the readers who now have larger access to graphic novels quite unlike others on the stands today – science fiction cyberpunk epics such as Technopriests; brutal Tarantino-tinted Spaghetti Westerns like Son of the Gun; psychedelic historical fantasies in The White Lama; and mystery/adventures from familiar names such as Terry Dodson’s Coraline. There is truly something for everyone from Humanoids Publishing.

---

JOHNNY DC



Over the past twenty years the average age of the Western comic book reader has steadily risen. As mainstream superhero books have slowly become more sophisticated and complex in the wake of works such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, children have shied away from the iconic characters that many of us grew up with replaced by characters such as the Powerpuff Girls and Johnny Bravo. While movies such as those from the Batman series have prospered at the box office, delighting fans of all ages, that interest has not been entirely successful in translating itself to comic book sales. With the decades-spanning continuity and sweeping story arcs, many superhero comics seem nearly incomprehensible and impenetrable to a young reader – especially one relying on his or her parents to purchase their reading material.

This is where DC’s all-ages line, Johnny DC comes in. Johnny DC is dedicated to producing fun and original material for a younger audience featuring characters from its superhero stable, as well as children-friendly properties from DC’s parent company Warner Bros.

Johnny DC’s superhero line draws from animated TV series based around DC Universe characters, such as the ever-popular Batman: The Animated Series, the new hit series Teen Titans and Justice League Unlimited. Like most episodes of the TV show, the comic books deliver mostly self-contained storylines chronicling the adventures of Superman or the Teen Titans, while utilizing simple and colorful cartoon-style artwork attractive to youngsters, without the complex and often confusing continuity of DC’s flagship lines, without sacrificing the heroic and iconic essence of the characters involved. Johnny DC’s superhero titles such as Justice League Unlimited and Teen Titans Go! take a back-to-basics approach to superheroics that even appeals to many adult fans longing for “simpler” times. A lot of familiar comic book creators have found worked with these all-ages books, including Jason Hall, writer of Vertigo’s Trigger and Beware the Creeper and J. Torres of X-Men: Ronin and Love as a Foreign Language fame.

Backing up their superhero properties, Johnny DC also produces comic books based on popular Cartoon Network animated shows, producing books based on The Powerpuff Girls and the enduring Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo franchises. Johnny DC’s recently launched Cartoon Network Block Party is an anthology of sorts, placing together more Cartoon Network favorites such as Johnny Bravo in original stories.

---

REBELLION/2000AD



Rebellion is best known for its flagship title - the seminal British anthology series 2000AD. 2000AD, originally published by IPC/Fleetway, but purchased by publisher Rebellion in 2000, began in 1977 in an attempt to revitalize the ailing British comic book industry through intelligent, high concept and visceral science fiction serials that tapped into the cultural zeitgeist of late seventies Britain - a time of political, social and economic turmoil. The frustrations of British youth gave rise to such energetic and aggressive youth movements as punk and industrial that challenged the long-standing social tradition and repressiveness of British culture. In a time where British comics were struggling to keep up with their American counterparts, 2000AD launched a revolutionary movement all of its own, tapping into the cynicism, irreverent humour and attitude of the punks dressed up in the garb of pulp science fiction. Nowhere is this attitude more present than in 2000AD's most successful character - the ultra-violent, authoritarian Judge Dredd, created by John Wagner and Alan Grant.

The world of Judge Dredd presents a dystopian, post-war future filled with vicious criminals, mutants and scum, with the Judges - a totalitarian governing body/police force - are the bastions of order. The stories are super-violent sci-fi filled, brimming with black humour and offering a tongue-in-cheek look at the police and other systems of control. Dredd himself is the ultimate Judge -a merciless, grim and near-unstoppable force that cares for only one thing: the Law. Dredd is the ultimate anti-hero, its near impossible to empathize with him in any discernible way. Often Dredd serves as a comedic straight man to the nonsensical and ridiculous nature of his home, Mega City One, as he grimly battles with clock-headed redneck cyborgs, troll-like cosmetic surgeons dedicated to de-beautification, and sky surfing graffiti artists. Dredd proved to be a massive hit for 2000AD and along with the magazine's other mainstay serials – Strontium Dog, Slaine, Rogue Trooper, has become a potent icon within the British comic book industry and beyond.

Inarguably, the most important factor behind 2000AD's longevity, commercial and critical success lies within its creative alumni. It is from the ranks of 2000AD writers and artists that DC recruited its impressive array of late 80s talent in the famed "British Invasion". Superstars like Alan Moore (Saga of the Swamp Thing), Garth Ennis (Preacher), Neil Gaiman (The Sandman), Grant Morrison (Animal Man), Jamie Delano (Hellblazer), Peter Milligan (Shade, the Changing Man), Alan Davis (Uncanny X-Men), Simon Bisley (Lobo) and Dave Gibbons (Watchmen) were all 2000AD regulars, contributing to classic serials such as Morrison and Yeowell's Zenith and Alan Moore and Ian Gibson's Ballad of Halo Jones. Later, Mark Millar, Andy Diggle, Robbie Morrison, Dan Abnett and Warren Ellis would join the ranks of 2000AD writers-turned-American market success stories.

Last year, admidst the same wave of diversification that saw them ally with Humanoids Publishing and launch CMX, DC acquired the North American publishing rights to all existing, and future comic material from Rebellion. This includes the enormous back catalog of 2000AD, as well as its spin-offs such as the Judge Dredd Megazine. For years, DC has enjoyed great success with its trade collections featuring the works of the British Invasion writers mentioned above, but now DC can bring the early work of these writers to a whole new audience, releasing three volumes of reprinted 2000AD material each month.

So far, DC has brought North American audiences long forgotten gems such as Mark Millar and Steve Yeowell's Red Razors, two volumes of Sinister Dexter and Nikolai Dante, two Judge Dredd reprints (Dredd vs. Death and Judge Dredd: Judgement Day), Rogue Trooper: The Future of War and the first volume in the adventures of Peter Milligan's Bad Company, with many more to come including the long out-of-print Alan Moore work Skizz.

---

MAD



Often imitated but never surpassed, MAD Magazine has been a staple part of American youth for over 50 years. Started in 1952 by Harvey Kurtzman and William Gaines, MAD is a satire magazine that takes aim at topics ranging from popular film, music and occasionally politics, hosted by its iconic mascot Alfred E. Nueman. Despite its roots as an EC Comics' published magazine, MAD fell into the hands of DC Comics' owner AOL/Time Warner back in the late 60s and now forms a part of the ever-growing DC Comics publishing line-up.

MAD's life began as a comic book called Tales Calculated To Drive You Mad under William Gaines' EC Comics banner. EC Comics is legendary within the industry for its string of pulp horror books that enjoyed a great deal of success up until the stifling climate of the early Comic Code Authority years buried many of its titles, such as Tales from the Crypt, seemingly for good. Fearful of the same fate befalling the Harvey Kurtzman penned book, Gaines converted the book to a magazine format, not only side-stepping the Comics Code Authority's strict content guidelines but also ensuring a wider distribution for what was now known as MAD Magazine.

Perhaps one of MAD Magazine’s greatest strengths has always been its fairness, parodying all and sundry with equal comedic malice. Democrats and Republicans, Russians and Americans, Hollywood stars and Best-selling authors, Christians and Muslims - none have been safe from the deliciously acerbic touch of MAD's writers. Particularly in the tumultuous 50s and 60s, MAD served as something of a bastion of sanity against the mounting Cold War paranoia and hypocrisy that gripped those years, yet somehow always managing to escape the wrath of censors and other detractors (partly due to its complete lack of advertising!).

MAD is best recognized by the previously mentioned Alfred E. Neuman ("What, me worry?"), Al Jaffee's "Fold-in" parodies, the page margin artwork of Groo creator Sergio Aragones and of course, the ever-popular Spy Vs. Spy - a strip created by Cuban artist Antonio Prohias as a parody of Cold War paranoia.

MAD has inspired comedians for decades, launching a slew of imitators such as Cracked, Madhouse, Zany and Sick and has been cited as a major influence on the creators of The Simpsons. MAD has even spun off in recent years into television, launching its own sketch comedy show MAD TV in 1995. MAD is also published locally in Britain and Australia, blending material from the North American version with original content focused on domestic events and celebrities.

---

ELFQUEST



The Elfquest series by Wendy and Richard Pini is one of the first great success stories of independent comic book publishing. Elfquest originally ran as a 21 issue narrative, published by the Pinis' own Warp Graphics, beginning in 1978. Later, Marvel Comics would re-issue the series with new pages and artwork in a 32 issue re-edit, produced by its original Epic imprint. In 2003, DC Comics became the new publishers of the Elfquest saga, obtaining the rights to publication, distribution and merchandising beginning in July with the Elfquest 25th Anniversary Special. Elfquest has also spun out into original graphic novels, novels, a pen and paper RPG, as well as forming the basis for a (seemingly constantly) in development animated series.

Elfquest itself is a highly engaging fantasy series, set on an Earth-like planet known only as the World of Two Moons. The storyline focuses on a clan of elves known as the Wolfriders, a cunning and vicious tribe, styled up on Native Americans. Unlike the elves of more traditional fantasy worlds such as J.R.R. Tolkein's Middle-Earth or the mythical worlds of Dungeons & Dragons, the Wolfriders are descendent of from a race of alien beings who crash landed on the World of Two Moons in the early years of its development. These aliens, after years of conflict with the natives would go on to spawn the elf tribes of the Wolfriders, Sun Folk, Go-backs and the mysterious winged elves known as Gliders. The series focuses on the adventures of the Wolfriders, led by their eleventh chieftain - Cutter - as they journey to find their place in the world.

Elfquest has developed a fiercely devoted fan following over its 25+ year lifespan, finding fans around the globe and in many different languages. Warp Graphics' alliance with DC Comics can only help to push the magical and thrilling world of Elfquest onto a whole new readership through the publication of the glossy, full-color prestige graphic novel collections of the Elfquest Archives range and the digest-sized black and white reprints, the two volume Elfquest: Wolfrider (the prequel to the original series) and Elfquest: The Grand Quest - a multi-volume re-issue of the Marvel Comics/Epic version of the original saga, once again re-edited and enhanced to create a highly polished and more cohesive narrative.

---

THE WILL EISNER LIBRARY



What can be said about Will Eisner that hasn't already? Eisner, more than any other creator, personified all that is good in the comic industry. A scholar and artist extraordinaire, Eisner was perhaps the most influential and important figure in Western comic books. The man all but created the graphic novel with his legendary A Contract With God and was also responsible for the beloved 1940s and 50s newspaper serial The Spirit.

While his death on January 3 this very year still casts a pall over comic book culture, Eisner's legacy is guaranteed to live on through DC Comics' rigorous publication of his formidable and awe-inspiring back catalog. DC's release schedule and archive includes several of Eisner's key works such as New York: The Big City. Invisible People, A Contract With God And Other Tenement Stories and The Dreamer. Additionally DC has made available lovingly crafted, hardcover restorations of the original Spirit serial, currently in their sixteenth volume.

DC's ongoing commitment to preserving Eisner's monumental body of work shows, once again, the company's love, respect and reverence for the medium's greats, ensuring that these treasures remain in the public eye for many years to come.

---

BEYOND THE UNIVERSE...AND ONTO THE SHELVES!



As the above has shown, DC Comics is not simply the home of Superman, but also the largest and most multi-faceted publisher in the Western comic book market. Below is a sampling of DC Comics' diverse range of "Beyond The Universe" products hitting the shelves this month, as solicited by the publisher. Help celebrate DC's seventieth year of publication, and take a change on the wide array of titles lurking outside the DCU.


CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #6
Written by Tom Warburton, Jim Alexander, Jono Howard and John Rozum
Art by Scott Underwood,
Angus Bungay, and Mike Wetterhahn and Tim Chi Ly
Cover by Robert Pope

Courage defends his master from the scariest thing ever, and the Eds grow a garden of great big trouble! Plus, Johnny Bravo and the Kids Next Door!



MAD #451
Written and illustrated by The Usual Gang of Idiots

Surprise your Valentine this year with a brand-spankin’ new issue of Mad! Wait, who are we kidding? If you’re reading Mad, there’s no way you have a Valentine!



ELFQUEST: THE GRAND QUEST VOL. 7 TP
Written by Wendy & Richard Pini
Art and cover by Wendy Pini & Joe Staton

Another chapter in the classic saga by Wendy & Richard Pini! The Wolfriders have settled into their new Holt in the Forbidden Grove. All is peaceful until Aroree, a fugitive Glider from Blue Mountain, kidnaps a Wolfrider child. Now the elves must once again confront the cold, vile Winnowill — and the humans who worship her!


GALS! VOL. 1
Written by Fujii Mihona
Art by Fujii Mihona

Self-styled Kogal queen Kotobuki Ran and her friends just wanna have fun, which includes shopping, hanging out, and scamming meals off gullible guys. Unfortunately, their ‘hood’ —Shibuya — is in constant danger of being despoiled by dirty old men, street gangs, nasty Kogal rivals, and other societal evils. But with a little help from her friends and a toughness born of coming from a family full of cops, Ran takes on the bad guys (and gals) with gusto!



TENJHO TENGE VOL. 1
Written by Oh! great
Art by Oh! great

In one unusual Tokyo high school, education takes a backseat to brawling as warring clubs wreak havoc in the hallways and chaos in the classrooms, all vying to be the baddest team around! Although they often contribute their fair share, only a handful of students serve to stem the tide of violence in this untamed outpost. These are the few, the proud, the powerful: the members of the Juken Club!



SKIZZ TP
Written by Alan Moore
Art and cover by Jim Baikie

Relive one of legendary writer Alan Moore's early triumphs with this new edition of his science-fiction classic Skizz, featuring art by frequent Moore collaborator Jim Baikie (Tomorrow Stories)!

Zhcchz is a Tau Cetian interpreter traveling home through the stars; Roxy is just a Birmingham schoolgirl heading home after another boring day. When the two collide, their lives will change forever!

Now Roxy must protect her new alien friend “Skizz” and try to find a way to send him home. To help, she’s got Loz, the laconic biker, and Cornelius, the slow-witted, unemployed pipe-fitter. But standing in their way is obsessive Government alien-hunter Van Owen!



SANCTUM TP
Written by Xavier Dorison
Art and cover by Christopher Bec

When a U.S. submarine answers a distress beacon,
the crew discovers a WWII Russian sub at the mouth of an underwater temple. Accidentally unleashing an ancient god of death imprisoned within the sanctum, the crew fights for their survival — and humanity’s.

[Rich Thomas]

I have been a big fan of Wendy and Richard Pini's Elfquest since I was a kid. It was Marvel's Epic re-prints that got me hooked. I later went back and found the original WaRP Graphic issues which are simply amazing pieces of work. I really got excited when DC got the publishing rights because it meant that there would be some new stuff. "The Searcher and the Sword" graphic novel was great!

[Kevin Sutton]

I see DC's Humanoids deal as being the most important comics event over the past year for me. I've been introduced a variety of high quality, original stories through both the DC deal and Humanoids Publishing directly. Excellent stuff all around, and I would recommend the recently released Sanctum to anyone with a fondness for good comics.

[Jordan T. Maxwell]

i'm hoping my budget increases soon so i can move beyond my usual stable of superhero and Vertigo books and pick up more of these titles. while i didn't care for Metabarons, I Am Legion was brilliant and a few of the other concepts sound interesting as well. haven't done much research into the CMX titles, but Tenjho Tenge sounds right up my alley (still working on completing my Lone Wolf and Cub collection, though).

[Dylan McKay]

Mitch, you are just doing amazing work here. If I was wearing a hat, I would so tip it.

The best part about these imports is that it allows for diversity in the American comics market without the same production costs. Vertigo, Image, Dark Horse, Oni Press et al are doing great work at providing diversity, but the bottom line is such a real problem for them that it's hard for them to break the wall down in so far as having impact of social perceptions of sequential art that adding in a bunch of diverse and well produced books where the initial production has been paid for really helps add a strong force to attack negative perceptions of comics.

[Mitch Brown]

Originally Posted by Rich Thomas

I have been a big fan of Wendy and Richard Pini's Elfquest since I was a kid. It was Marvel's Epic re-prints that got me hooked. I later went back and found the original WaRP Graphic issues which are simply amazing pieces of work. I really got excited when DC got the publishing rights because it meant that there would be some new stuff. "The Searcher and the Sword" graphic novel was great!

Same for me. Elfquest, along with 2000AD made up my non-superhero reading as a kid. I totally fell in love with the Epic reprints (and Winnowil scared the beejezus out of me!!) as a kid - this was the first real fantasy I had read, long before I'd picked up anything like the Hobbit. I can't stress to people how well-written and beautifully illustrated the original series is. If you're a fan of Conan, Bone, Lord of the Rings or similar, you really should check it out. I've yet to try the new material, though I'm sure it holds up to the classics.

Originally Posted by Kevin Sutton

I see DC's Humanoids deal as being the most important comics event over the past year for me. I've been introduced a variety of high quality, original stories through both the DC deal and Humanoids Publishing directly. Excellent stuff all around, and I would recommend the recently released Sanctum to anyone with a fondness for good comics.

Originally Posted by Jordan T. Maxwell

i'm hoping my budget increases soon so i can move beyond my usual stable of superhero and Vertigo books and pick up more of these titles. while i didn't care for Metabarons, I Am Legion was brilliant and a few of the other concepts sound interesting as well. haven't done much research into the CMX titles, but Tenjho Tenge sounds right up my alley (still working on completing my Lone Wolf and Cub collection, though).

Its hard to argue with that. Humanoids has had a massive impact on the industry - even if you haven't read a Humanoids book, you can be sure that many of your favourite American writers and artists have. European comics have traditionally been far more progressive and multi-faceted than the Comics Code Authority shackled American market. Have yet to read Sanctum, but my personal favourites have been The Horde, The White Lama and I Am Legion.

Metabarons is very hit and miss, and I'm enjoying The Technopriests a lot more than that. I appreciate what Jodorwsky tried to do with the series (the essay reprinting in DC's second volume is a big help) but there is a lot about it that bugs me. Even when Jodorwsky disappoints though, the art is always jaw-dropping. Jodorwsky's best work for me though is The White Lama. That series is ing amazing. The White Lama and The Horde would be right up your alley Jordan.

Originally Posted by Dylan McKay

Mitch, you are just doing amazing work here. If I was wearing a hat, I would so tip it.

Awww shucks, thank you good sir!

[Kevin Sutton]

Originally Posted by Mitch Brown

Metabarons is very hit and miss, and I'm enjoying The Technopriests a lot more than that.

Really? I found Metabarons superior to Technopriests, and was surprised by how good it got in the later volumes.

[Dylan McKay]

I've read about half of Metabarons Vol. 1 and have been very dissapointed. I just can't help but here my old playwriting teacher's voice in my head, "Show, don't tell. Show, don't tell."

[Mitch Brown]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sutton

Really? I found Metabarons superior to Technopriests, and was surprised by how good it got in the later volumes.

Admittedly, I haven't read all of the Metabarons series yet, having missed it the first time round before DC picked up the license.

[Joel Phillips]

I love the Humanoids stuff. Just got Sanctum, which (I just counted) is my 13th Humanoids TPB/GN purchase since DC grabbed the rights. It's really the first, best place to go for sci-fi, not to mention some great, deep political/historical fiction. And the artists are some of the best in the world: Bilal, Moebius, Janjetov, Gimenez, Baranko, Schuiten... gorgeous stuff.

[Jordan T. Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Dylan McKay

I've read about half of Metabarons Vol. 1 and have been very dissapointed. I just can't help but here my old playwriting teacher's voice in my head, "Show, don't tell. Show, don't tell."

exactly. i liked the artwork and a lot of the concepts in the book, but there were some extreme structural flaws and the dialogue was horrid (admittedly, it could've been a bad translation). and thanks for the recommendations, Mitch!

[Dylan McKay]

It seems to get better as the story goes on, but not enough to get me to continue. But then again, in retrospect, I'm not really a fan of this style of sci-fi...

[James Groves]

Great article Mitch. Superb research.

Plus, i'm intrigued by ElfQuest. I like fantasy, so this looks somewhat up my alley.

[Ryan Day]

Originally Posted by Jordan T. Maxwell

exactly. i liked the artwork and a lot of the concepts in the book, but there were some extreme structural flaws and the dialogue was horrid (admittedly, it could've been a bad translation).

Unfortunately, I'm increasingly convinced Jodorowsky just doesn't write very good dialogue. It's worse in his sci-fi, since he tries to make everything futuristic: Meta-this, paleo-that, techno-techno-doohickey.

One thing to remember about him, though, is that he alters his storytelling depending on the type of story he's telling. Metabarons is very much a mythical epic; there's not a lot of intiricate character detail because one simply doesn't do that sort of thing. It's all about the hero performing heroic deeds.

White Lama, by comparison, is almost a riff on The Sword in the Stone. There's more character work because it's all about the birth of a hero; you need the little details, because they're essential to the evolution of the character. Son Of The Gun falls somewhere in between.

To this point, I think my favourite Humanoids books are I Am Legion, The White Lama and The Horde. Horde is great; it's very Ennis-like at times, with a nice mix of sci-fi and satire.

What I love about Humanoids is the unrelenting creativity. It's like a clinic on what you can do with comic books: Absolutely Anything. Historical epic, science fiction, crime stories, fantasy... the only limits are the imaginations of the creators.

[Dylan McKay]

I think I'm going to have to give I Am Legion a whirl this week...

[Mitch Brown]

Originally Posted by Ryan Day

Unfortunately, I'm increasingly convinced Jodorowsky just doesn't write very good dialogue. It's worse in his sci-fi, since he tries to make everything futuristic: Meta-this, paleo-that, techno-techno-doohickey.

Yeah, that drives me completely nuts to be honest - in all three books of that shared Metabarons mythos.

Originally Posted by Ryan Day

One thing to remember about him, though, is that he alters his storytelling depending on the type of story he's telling. Metabarons is very much a mythical epic; there's not a lot of intiricate character detail because one simply doesn't do that sort of thing. It's all about the hero performing heroic deeds.

White Lama, by comparison, is almost a riff on The Sword in the Stone. There's more character work because it's all about the birth of a hero; you need the little details, because they're essential to the evolution of the character. Son Of The Gun falls somewhere in between.

That what gets me about Jodorwsky. His style is so very different from book to book. White Lama almost seems like it was written by a different person than his Paleo-whatsit-doohickey-phallic-device books. I have almost zero complaints about his writing there. There's some iffy dialogue in places, but its still better than Metabarons, Technopriests and the Incal in that regard.

Originally Posted by Ryan Day

To this point, I think my favourite Humanoids books are I Am Legion, The White Lama and The Horde. Horde is great; it's very Ennis-like at times, with a nice mix of sci-fi and satire.

Then we think very alike sir